Principal Software Engineer - Search Relevance (Remote)

About the Role

We're looking for a Principal Software Engineer - Search Relevance to join our team at Elastic. This remote role offers you the chance to work with a globally-distributed team of expert engineers focused on enhancing the search experience in Elasticsearch. As a Principal Software Engineer, you will play a critical role in improving vector and keyword search functionality, driving innovations, and implementing new features that will enhance our search capabilities.

What You'll Do

• Lead initiatives within Elasticsearch to produce an industry-leading search engine offering, ensuring unparalleled speed and relevance in search.
• Contribute to Elasticsearch full-time, building new search features and fixing intriguing bugs while making the code easier to understand.
• Invent new algorithms or data structures when necessary, and work closely with the operating system and hardware.
• Collaborate with a globally distributed team of experienced engineers focused on the search capabilities of Elasticsearch.
• Identify and drive improvements in search relevance based on your expertise and instincts.
• Engage with community members globally on issues and pull requests, triaging them and collaborating effectively.
• Write idiomatic modern Java, as Elasticsearch is predominantly Java-based.

Requirements

• Professional experience with search and vector databases, utilizing algorithms such as HNSW and IVF on search platforms at scale.
• Strong skills in core Java, with a solid understanding of data structures and concurrency constructs.
• Ability to work autonomously, guiding projects from inception to completion, including technical design and collaboration with other engineers.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, especially in a collaborative remote environment.
• Experience with various data storage technologies like Elasticsearch, Solr, PostgreSQL, MongoDB, or Cassandra.

Nice to Have

• Experience building projects with Elasticsearch and familiarity with open-source projects.
• Knowledge of different styles of source control workflow and continuous integration.
• Experience designing and leading cross-functional initiatives.

What We Offer

• Competitive salary based on your work and not your previous salary.
• Health coverage for you and your family in many locations.
• Flexible work locations and schedules.
• Generous vacation days each year.
• Financial matching for donations and service projects.
• Parental leave of a minimum of 16 weeks.